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Imperius Curse

Okay, I'm working on a drabble for the Bonfire day prompt and was wondering how plausible it would be for some of the conspirators to be working under the control of a wizard using the Imperius curse...

What are all y'alls' thoughts on the following:

1. How long does the imperius curse last? Until the caster stops it? Does the caster have to pay constant attention to the spell for it to continue?

2. Do the caster and victim have to remain within a certain physical proximity of each other for the spell to continue to work?

3. Can a muggle fight off the imperius curse like a magical person can?

4. How complicated can the instructions given to an imperiused person be? Can you force someone to do something that you know how to do but the person being controlled doesn't?

5. Come to think, how exactly does one give instructions to the person they are imperiusing?

I don't have any of my books with me, so any citations would be super useful. Many thanks to all!

I'm going to have a go at this in completely the wrong order. Based on how sure I am of each one.

4. Yes, you can. In GoF when "Moody" puts the Imperius Curse on the class, Neville does gymnastics that he would definitely not be able to do otherwise - there is a quote that says as much, but I don't have the book on me and my memory's not good enough to get it exactly.

5. I would imagine, simply by thinking them in the same way you would have to imagine where you were Apparating to, or think of a happy memory to conjure a Patronus. Thought and intention seems to be very important for this sort of thing, so I reckon that would have something to do with it.

3. I think there's a very weak possibility of that happening, simply because a Muggle would not have the prior knowledge of the curse and therefore would be completely unprepared in the way that a wizard - even one caught unawares - would not be. It appears, in GoF, to be a matter of willpower, which Muggles obviously have, but I don't think they would have the right training (not exactly the word I want, but it'll do) to know what to do with it - there really isn't any sort of equivalent in the non-magical world, so I don't think they would be able to fight it off successfully. I wonder if a Squib, or a Muggle who had married into the wizarding world, would be able to...? (Sorry, I'm thinking of more complications even as I write this...)

2. Personally, I reckon that they don't have to be in constant proximity, though perhaps they have to see each other occasionally - simply because of Herbert Chorley in HBP (the Muggle politician who was Imperiused). I can't imagine that it would have been easy for a Death Eater to remain in constant proximity to him - obviously, it's possible, but it doesn't seem likely. Also, Crouch (Jnr) in GoF was under the Imperius Curse for years, during which time his father was working. He was definitely at home alone with Winky during that time, because that was how Bertha Jorkins found out about him.

1. Again because of Crouch, I'm going to suggest no - because he'd been under the curse so long; I doubt his father could have been actively concentrating on it for all that time. How much concentration is needed, however (i.e. must they be always aware of it, etc) - and indeed, how much the person is influenced by it in the longterm - would they need instructing to go home, talk to their wife, etc., or could the caster simply give them instructions for things they specifically want them to do and know they would do the rest themselves?...I wouldn't like to guess at.

Tricky question. . . . Would the Muggle even be aware that they were under the Imperius Curse? If so, then I'm inclined to think that someone with a strong enough will could definitely resist the Curse. If not, then I don't think they can.

How complicated can the instructions given to an imperiused person be? Can you force someone to do something that you know how to do but the person being controlled doesn't?

Yeeowtch. I think you can, if you guide them through it in your mind, but that would be complicated. . . .

Come to think, how exactly does one give instructions to the person they are imperiusing?

According to DH, you just think about what you want the person to do, and they do it.

1. How long does the imperius curse last? Until the caster stops it? Does the caster have to pay constant attention to the spell for it to continue?
I always imagined the duration to be based on a certain amount of concentration, but I don't have any canon evidence to back me up on this. When Harry did it, it just seems to last without him doing much of anything else. Most likely one just has to renew it every once in a while, or keep giving instructions or something and otherwise it will wear off by itself. It could also be that the caster simply lets go and releases the victim in one way or another. Maybe they just have to think it.

2. Do the caster and victim have to remain within a certain physical proximity of each other for the spell to continue to work?
I don't think so. It seems that once the curse is cast the caster does not have to remain close. Can anyone back me up on this?

3. Can a muggle fight off the imperius curse like a magical person can?
I'd say probably not, but I have no canon evidence.

4. How complicated can the instructions given to an imperiused person be? Can you force someone to do something that you know how to do but the person being controlled doesn't?
You probably can. I think you can make anyone do just about anything. Draco Malfoy Imperiused Madam Rosmerta into Imperiusing Katie Bell, and I'm not sure Madam Rosmerta knew how to perform the curse from before. In fact, I can't believe that all the people Voldemort Imperuised into doing ile deeds during the first war knew how to perform the curses they were forced to do.

5. Come to think, how exactly does one give instructions to the person they are imperiusing?
It appears to simply happen through some sort of telepathic connection. My theory is that what the Imperius Curse really does is create a sort of mental link between the caster and the victim, giving the caster complete control. Then all the caster has to do is reach out into the person's mind and mentally tell them what to do.

3. Can a muggle fight off the imperius curse like a magical person can?
I think a Muggle could fight it off if he/she had stong enough will power. When the imperius curse is put on Harry, it is always described as instructions given by the caster, and he asks himself why he should follow them. It doesn't have anything to do with being a wizard or a Muggle, but not many wizards can fight off the curse so not many Muggles would be able to either.